The present invention is directed toward a keyboard with touch sensors for detecting the touch location along the length of an outfitted key as it is being pressed, so as to thereby enable the functionality of the keyboard to be continually reconfigured during play in accordance with the touch location being detected. This reconfiguration can be utilized to enhance that functionality, simplify its use, and substantially reduce the number of keys and keyboard footprint required for its implementation. Such touch detection is particularly applicable to touchscreen, piano-type keyboards; however, it is generally applicable to any keyboard being associated with electronic control, especially where portability is an issue.
There are numerous piano keyboard apps available for iPads, and similar touchscreen devices. The popularity of these apps can be attributed, at least in part, to the portability of those tablets; however, due to the tiny size of their playing surface as compared to a standard piano keyboard, the number of keys available for playing at any given time, is extremely limited, which presents a serious obstruction to the playing of even the simplest piano arrangements.
In an attempt to alleviate this functionality obstruction, apps have typically: reduced key width to display additional keys; reduced key length to display multiple key rows; and provided keyboard repositioning swipes during play for revealing normally off-screen keys. While these measures do increase the number of readily available keys, the reduced key size and additionally required swipes have rendered such apps virtually unusable for real-time play.
Furthermore, since playing even simple arrangements requires a fair amount of skill, keyboards provide preprogrammed buttons for simulating actual playing. While such button pressing does enable beginners to circumvent this learning curve, because it is so far removed from the skills required for piano playing, very little learning is actually accomplished. A keyboard that offered skill simplification rather than complete elimination would be far more advantageous.
For example, consider the learning curve required for the playing of close, root-position chords, which is relatively small compared to that of advanced chord inversion and voicing. Suppose it were possible to play a close, root-position chord, but then configure the keyboard during play to automatically substitute an advanced chord inversion or voicing before any notes are sounded. This would substantially reduce the learning curve required for advanced playing, but would, at the same time, promote the learning of the basic playing skills.
To date, there is no such reconfigurable, piano-type keyboard that offers both full functionality and simplified playing, and especially not at a substantially reduced size. As such, there is a recognized need for a tablet-sized, piano-type keyboard, of either the touchscreen or physical variety, that can be continually reconfigured during play, so as to provide such capabilities.